DROUGHT IS ROUGH

Drought conditions have persisted for much of Kansas for the last two summers.  You wouldn't think that last year's problems could get worse but water-wise they may have done just that this summer.  We're seeing the first rain in some time as I write this but it won't be enough to call an end to dry conditions over much of the state.  But it's a start.

Drought affects all kinds of wildlife, either directly or indirectly.  Obviously, species like fish need water to survive.  Pheasants need adequate nesting cover.  Pheasant chicks need protection from the elements in ground cover, as well as the insects utilizing those same plants.  Dry conditions are a one-two punch for pheasants.  Add an early wheat harvest and it doesn't look promising.

And despite a better-than-most-years prediction for migrating waterfowl numbers it isn't looking good for the home team.  Ducks need water and that's at a premium in many parts.  A buddy and I went to check out a spot we hunt on the Arkansas River recently to assess the situation.  Wow!  That pretty much sums up what we found.  Riding ATV's for about 7 miles of river we found 95 percent of the water measured in inches.  The deepest was just over my knees and I'm short.  Sad indeed (the lack of water, not that I'm short).

Standing where we normally sit to hunt I remembered past photos with smiling duck hunters and ample water.  I tried to guess as to the composition of those photos for comparison.  I got surprisingly close.  If you look at the treeline in these two photos I'm within a couple feet of the same location where I took each photo.  Oh what a difference a couple years makes.

Granted, rivers like that are constantly changing.  New sandbars form from one season to the next and log jams change places.  As duck hunters we adjust to those conditions but as long as there's water we're good to go.  But when things dry up that's not good news for ducks or duck hunters.  Here's hoping we get a couple toad stranglers between now and opening day.